Summer 2023: Weeks 1 & 2 Class Highlights

Welcome to our Summer 2023: Weeks 3 & 4 Highlights!

Throughout the summer, we want to keep parents and students up-to-date on what’s happening in our summer courses. Read on to learn a few MEK fast facts, highlights, and the topics covered in your child’s MEK Summer courses during weeks 3 and 4 of class!

Section 1: Fast Facts

74: The average number of points SAT 1400 students have improved on their total score since week one

52: The average number of points SAT 1500 students have improved on their total score since week one

Section 2: Week 3 & 4 Highlights

#1. Test prep students completed between 4-12 tests.

#2. Students worked on mastering proven strategies for improving their scores.

#3. At the halfway point of summer, MEK started speaking to students and parents about next steps in the upcoming fall semester.

Test Prep: Milestones & Achievements

SAT 1500 Advanced: Krish Tulsidas got a perfect 1600 once and earned a 1590 three times! Way to go, Krish!

SAT 1400 & 1500: Students have taken 10 tests and are halfway through the summer semester! In 1500, Rohan Xavier received a perfect 800 on the math section of the SAT 3 times already! Way to go, Rohan!

SAT Foundation: Students have taken two vocabulary quizzes, worked on evidence, narratives, word in context, and historical documents, and learned about punctuation and pronouns.

SAT Core: Students took their first simulation test in Week 4. In Writing, they have been learning about punctuation and pronouns for the last couple weeks. In Reading, they have been learning about evidence questions and how to read historical documents. We look forward to seeing how they do on their test and helping them continue to grow!

Exam Prep 8: Students took their first simulation test in Week 3 and will take another one in Week 5. In English, they have been working on reading skills such as purpose and function, while strengthening their vocabulary retention and verbal skills. At the end of Week 4, they will also be introduced to literary analysis essay writing. Isabelle Kim scored a perfect 800 on Math! Way to go, Isabelle!

SSAT/ISEE 8: Students had their second round of simulation testing. Across all of the classes, class averages for their second ISEE tests increased by 4-10 percentages points from their first ISEE tests.

High School Honors & AP Course Prep | Topics Covered

AP Calculus AB:

• Chain Rule & Implicit Differentiation
• Higher Derivatives & Related Rates
• Extrema & Mean Value Theorem

 
AP Statistics:

• How to find correlations and use Normal distributions

 
AP Chemistry:

• Lewis Structures
• Resonance
• VSEPR Geometry
• Hybridization

 
AP Biology

• Unit 1 Test
• Cell Size
• Homeostasis and Cell Transport

 
Honors Analysis I:

• Quadratic functions
• Inverses
• synthetic division

 
Honors Biology 

• Cell Structure
• Function
• Mid term exam 

 
Honors Chemistry:

• Periodic Trends
• Molecular compound naming
• Ionic compound naming

 
Honors Geometry:

• How to do proofs related to triangles and parallel lines

 
Honors Pre-Calculus:

• Sine and Cosine Graphs
• Other Trig Graphs (Tangent, Cosecant, Secant, and Cotangent)
• Inverse Trig and their Graphs
• Trig Identities

 
Honors Physics

• Kinematics (describe motion of objects quantitatively using distance, speed and acceleration)
• Dynamics (describe the causes of motion by analyzing forces acting on an object by the principles of Newton’s Laws of Motion)

Honors Algebra II:

• Absolute Value expressions
• Special emphasis is placed on factoring quadratics and more complicated polynomials, which is followed by properties of exponents

MEK Learning Circles: Milestones & Achievements

Critical Reading Circles: Students in Critical Reading 7 have read 6 texts and analyzed 1 political cartoon, while students in Critical Reading 8 have read 7 texts. Both classes have learned and discussed numerous literary elements, like characterization, conflict and irony.

Writing Circles: Students have written seven essays (no more revisions) of various types, including persuasive, expository and narrative.

Operations & Number-Sense Circles: Most classes have completed 2 cumulative assessments and covered 7+ CCSS domains and 16+ standards. Students have answered 225+ different math problems.

Problem-Solving Math Circles: Students have completed 2 cumulative assessments, covered 7+ CCSS domains and 16+ standards, and answered 275+ different word problems.

Non-fiction Reading: The key skill reinforced or learned in NFR initially is non-fiction analysis, our focus in week 1.  Simultaneously, all students worked on their presentation skills where the qualities necessary for creating and delivering a compelling presentation that effectively communicated an argument was honed.  All students made some progress in week 2 in what they said and how they structured it, moving towards working from bulleted index cards, rather than reading their fully-written speeches.  Bravo NFR!

MAPC: Students learned systems of equations, Probability, and Ratio problems.

What’s Next?

We’re excited for what’s to come as the Summer continues and look forward to sharing with you the highlights of Weeks 5 & 6 on Friday, August 11th!